Safety medical connector

ABSTRACT

A safety medical connector includes a composite inner pipe, a first resilient element, a sealing element, and a housing. The first resilient element hermetically seals the entrance of the housing, and the sealing element hermetically seals the exit of the housing; hence, thanks to the double hermetic seal structures, the safety medical connector is leakproof and airtight. When in use, part of the composite inner pipe is secured and stationary, thereby enhancing structural stability.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a medical equipment, more particularlyto a safety medical connector which dispenses with sharp needles.

Description of the Prior Art

Medical treatment usually entails injecting into and drawing variousliquids from patients with various infusion pipelines, for example, inintravenous fluid infusion, medication administration, and blooddrawing. In this regard, an infusion connector connects with variousinfusion pipelines and thus functions as a valve of liquid input oroutput. In particular, with increasingly great importance being attachedto medical professionals' safety, safety medical connectors whichdispense with sharp needles are already in use by plenty medicalinstitutions recently.

There are two types of conventional safety medical connectors. The firsttype of conventional safety medical connector only has a hermetic sealstructure. For example, Taiwan patent M407761 discloses a safety medicalconnector having an inner pipe. An opening of the inner pipe ishermetically sealed with a resilient element. To open the inner pipe,the resilient element has to deform and expose the opening. Theresilient element is likely to lose its resilience to the detriment ofhermetic sealing.

The second type of conventional safety medical connector has twohermetic seal structures. For example, Taiwan patent I378806 discloses asafety medical connector having a casing, a resilient valve, and abidirectional communication component. The casing has two openings. Theresilient valve is received in the casing and hermetically seals the twoopenings. The resilient valve defines a receiving space for holding thebidirectional communication component. The bidirectional communicationcomponent has therein an infusion channel. The operation mechanism ofthe safety medical connector is as follows: when pushed by an externalconnector, the resilient valve is deformed to thereby not, only allowthe bidirectional communication component to stretch the resilient valveopen but also enable the infusion channel to communicate with the twoopenings.

Although the second type of conventional safety medical connector comeswith a hermetic seal structure, the bidirectional communicationcomponent is supported and positioned only by the resilient valve. Theresilient valve must be pushed and deformed whenever to work; hence, theresilient valve is anticipated to lose its resilience after long use andthus dislocate the bidirectional communication component, therebycausing a leak.

Therefore, the conventional safety medical connectors still have roomfor improvement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a safety medicalconnector with optimal hermetic sealing performance and enhancedstructural stability.

In order to achieve the above and other objectives, the presentinvention provides a safety medical connector which comprises a firstinner pipe, a second inner pipe, a casing, a first resilient element,and a sealing element. The first inner pipe has a first protrudingportion, a fitting portion, and at least a first abutting portion. Thefirst protruding portion and the first abutting portion are connected tothe fitting portion. The free end of the first protruding portion has atleast a first through hole. The first protruding portion has therein afirst passage. The first through hole is in communication with the firstpassage. The second inner pipe has a second protruding portion, a trunkportion, and at least a second abutting portion respectively. The secondprotruding portion and the second abutting portion are connected to thetrunk portion. The free end of the second protruding portion has atleast a second through hole. The second protruding portion and the trunkportion have therein a second passage. The second through hole is incommunication with the second passage. A flange is disposed at the freeend of the second abutting portion and protrudes outward. The fittingportion and the trunk portion fit each other. The first abutting portionand the second abutting portion alternate each other. The free end ofthe first protruding portion and the free end of the second protrudingportion point in two opposite directions, respectively. The firstpassage is in communication with the second passage. The casing has aperipheral wall as well as a first end wall and a second end wall whichcloses the two ends of the peripheral wall, respectively. The peripheralwall, the first end wall, and the second end wall jointly define a firstreceiving space. The first end wall and the second end wall each have anopening whose rim extends outward to form a first circumferential walland a second circumferential wall. The first circumferential walldefines a first channel. The second circumferential wall defines asecond channel. The first resilient element has a head portion, a bodyportion, and a fixing portion. The head portion extends laterally fromthe body portion and forms a closed end. The other side of the bodyportion extends to form an opening end. The body portion has therein asecond receiving space. The second receiving space is in communicationwith the opening end. A positioning notch is disposed on an inner wallsurface of the body portion. The fixing portion is connected to theopening end and fixed to the casing. The sealing element is attached tothe second end wall. The first abutting portion abuts against thesealing element. The first protruding portion extends toward the firstcircumferential wall. The first resilient element fits around the firstprotruding portion such that the first protruding portion penetrates theopening end and thus gets received in the second receiving space. Thepositioning notch is engaged with the flange. The head portion isdisposed inside the first circumferential wall to hermetically seal thefirst channel. The second protruding portion extends toward the secondcircumferential wall.

Regarding the safety medical connector disclosed in a preferredembodiment of the present invention, the peripheral wall has an innerperipheral wall and an outer peripheral wall which are engaged with eachother, the inner peripheral wall connected to the first end wall, theouter peripheral wall connected to the second end wall, and the fixingportion disposed between the inner peripheral wall and the outerperipheral wall.

Regarding the safety medical connector disclosed in a preferredembodiment of the present invention, the first inner pipe has twoopposing first abutting portions, and the second inner pipe has twoopposing second abutting portions.

Regarding the safety medical connector disclosed in a preferredembodiment of the present invention, the first resilient element has aneck portion for connecting the head portion and the body portion, and apressing portion is disposed at the junction of the first end wall andthe first circumferential wall to press against the neck portion.

Regarding the safety medical connector disclosed in a preferredembodiment of the present invention, a resilient ring is disposedbetween the fitting portion of the first inner pipe and the trunkportion of the second inner pipe.

Regarding the safety medical connector disclosed in a preferredembodiment of the present invention, the free end of the firstprotruding portion is tapered and has a first lateral surface, the firstthrough hole disposed on the first lateral surface.

Regarding the safety medical connector disclosed in a preferredembodiment of the present invention, the free end of the secondprotruding, portion is tapered and has a second lateral surface whichthe second through hole is disposed on, and the sealing element has arecess for receiving the second lateral surface.

Accordingly, the present invention discloses a safety medical connectorcharacterized in that: the first resilient element and the sealingelement hermetically seal the first channel and the second channel,respectively, to optimize a hermetic seal; and the first abuttingportion of the first inner pipe abuts against the second end wall of thecasing, thereby enhancing structural stability even after long use.

Features of the present invention are described in detail later.However, persons skilled in the art understand that the detaileddescription and specific embodiments descriptive of the presentinvention are illustrative of the present invention rather thanrestrictive of the scope of the claims of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial lateral view of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken alongline 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of circulation within the present inventionwith reference to FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the present invention provides a safetymedical connector 10 which comprises a first inner pipe 20, a secondinner pipe 30, a housing 40, a first resilient element 50, and a sealingelement 60.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, the first inner pipe 20 has a firstprotruding portion 22, a fitting portion 24, and two first abuttingportions 26. The fitting portion 24 is substantially hollow-core andcylindrical. The fitting portion 24 has one end connected to the firstprotruding portion 22. The fitting portion 24 has the other endconnected to the two first abutting portions 26 in a manner that the twofirst abutting portions 26 are disposed at two opposite points at theother end of the fitting portion 24, respectively. The first protrudingportion 22 has a free end 221 which points away from the fitting portion24. The free end 221 of the first protruding portion 22 has two firstthrough holes 223. The first protruding portion 22 has therein a firstpassage 225. The first through holes 223 are in communication with thefirst passage 225. In a variant embodiment, the first abutting portions26 are in the number of one, and so are the first through holes 223.

The second inner pipe 30 has a second protruding portion 32, a trunkportion 34, and two second abutting portions 36. The second protrudingportion 32 has one end connected to the trunk portion 34. The other endof the second protruding portion 32 is defined as a free end 321. Thetwo second abutting portions 36 oppose each other and connect with thetrunk portion 34. The free end 321 of the second protruding portion 32has two second through holes 323. The second protruding portion 32 andthe trunk portion 34 have therein a second passage 325. The secondthrough holes 323 are in communication with the second passage 325. Thesecond abutting portions 36 each have a free end 361 not connected tothe trunk portion 34. The free ends 361 of the second abutting portions36 each have a flange 362 which protrudes outward. In a variantembodiment, the second abutting portions 36 are in the number of one,and so are the second through holes 323.

The first inner pipe 20 and the second inner pipe 30 are put together ina manner described below. The fitting portion 24 of the first inner pipe20 and the trunk portion 34 of the second inner pipe 30 fit each other.The first abutting portions 26 and the second abutting portions 36alternate each other. The free end 221 of the first protruding portion22 and the free end 321 of the second protruding portion 32 point in twoopposite directions. Referring to FIG. 4, the first passage 225 is incommunication with the second passage 325.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, the housing 40 has a peripheral wall 41as well as a first end wall 42 and a second end wall 43 which close thetwo ends of the peripheral wall 41, respectively. In this preferredembodiment, to make assembly easy, the peripheral wall 41 has an innerperipheral wall 412 and an outer peripheral wall 414 which are engagedwith each other. The inner peripheral wall 412 is connected to the firstend wall 42. The outer peripheral wall 414 is connected to the secondend wall 43. The peripheral wall 41, the first end wall 42, and thesecond end wall 43 jointly define a first receiving space 44. The firstend wall 42 and the second end wall 43 each have an opening whose rimextends outward to form a first circumferential wall 45 and a secondcircumferential wall 46. The first circumferential wall 45 defines afirst channel 451. The second circumferential wall 46 defines a secondchannel 461. The first channel 451 and the second channel 461 have asmaller inner diameter than the peripheral wall 41.

The first resilient element 50 has a head portion 52, a body portion 56,and a fixing portion 59. The head portion 52 extends laterally from thebody portion 56 and forms a closed end. The other side of the bodyportion 56 extends to form an opening end 561. The body portion 56 hastherein a second receiving space 58. The second receiving space 58 is incommunication with the opening end 561. A plurality of first resilientrings 563 is disposed on an outer wall surface of the body portion 56and protrudes in the direction of the peripheral wall 41. The firstresilient rings 563 enhance the structural strength of the body portion56. A positioning notch 562 is disposed on an inner wall surface of thebody portion 56. The fixing portion 59 extends outward from the openingend 561 and gets fixed in place between the inner peripheral wall 412and the outer peripheral wall 414. In a variant embodiment, the fixingportion 59 can be fixed in place at any other position, provided thatthe fixing portion 59 is secured and stationary relative to the housing40.

The sealing element 60 looks like a sheet and thus has two opposingparallel surfaces, and one of which is attached to an inner wall surfaceof the second end wall 43.

Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, the process of assembling the safety medicalconnector 10 is described below. The first protruding portion 22 pointsat the first circumferential wall 45. The first resilient element 50fits around the first protruding portion 22 such that the firstprotruding portion 22 penetrates the opening end 561 and thus getsreceived in the second receiving space 58. The positioning notch 562 ofthe first resilient element 50 is engaged with a flange 362 of thesecond abutting portion 36. The head portion 52 of the first resilientelement 50 is disposed inside the first circumferential wall 45 tohermetically seal the first channel 451.

The first abutting portions 26 abut against the sealing element 60 andthe second end wall 43. The free end 321 of the second protrudingportion 32 is received in a recess 62 of the sealing element 60.

The operation of the safety medical connector 10 is described below.

Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, to perform infusion with the safety medicalconnector 10, a user inserts a syringe tip (not shown) into the firstcircumferential wall 45; meanwhile, since the fixing portion 59 isstationary relative to the housing 40, the first resilient element 50 iscompressed and deformed. As a result, the first through holes 223 of thefirst inner pipe 20 are no longer hidden by the first resilient element50, and the second inner pipe 30 which is engaged with the firstresilient element 50 moves toward the second circumferential wall 46 tonot only allow the second protruding portion 32 to pass the sealingelement 60 and enter the second channel 461, but also enable the syringeto be in communication with the first passage 225, second passage 325,and second channel 461, thereby allowing the user to inject or withdrawa liquid.

To terminate the infusion process, the user takes the syringe tip out ofthe first circumferential wall 45 such that the second inner pipe 30 isguided by the compressed first resilient element 50 toward the firstcircumferential wall 45 to restore its position, whereas the free end321 of the second protruding portion 32 returns to the recess 62. As aresult, the sealing element 60 conceals the second channel 461 again,whereas the first resilient element 50 restores its position and thushermetically seals the first channel 451.

The first resilient element 50 hermetically seals the first channel 451,whereas the sealing element 60 hermetically seals the second channel461; hence, because of the double hermetic seal structures, the safetymedical connector 10 is leakproof and airtight. In the course ofinfusion, only the second inner pipe 30 is pushed and moved, but thefirst abutting portions 26 of the first inner pipe 20 abut against thesealing element 60 and the second end wall 43 and thus remain unmoved,thereby enhancing structural stability.

To enhance leakproofing, the first resilient element 50 further has aneck portion 54 for connecting the head portion 52 and the body portion56. The outer diameter and inner diameter of the neck portion 54increase gradually in the direction from the head portion 52 to the bodyportion 56. The free end 221 of the first protruding portion 22 istapered and has a first lateral surface 227. The first through holes 223are disposed on the first lateral surface 227. A pressing portion 48 isdisposed at the junction of the first end wall 42 and the firstcircumferential wall 45. The pressing portion 48, the neck portion 54,and the first lateral surface 227 match each other to enable thepressing portion 48 to press against the neck portion 54 and the firstlateral surface 227, thereby enhancing the hermetic sealing of the firstthrough holes 223. The free end 321 of the second protruding portion 32is tapered and has a second lateral surface 327. The second throughholes 323 are disposed on the second lateral surface 327. The sealingelement 60 has a recess 62. The second lateral surface 327 is receivedin the recess 62, thereby further enhancing the hermetic sealing of thesecond through holes 323.

To enhance structural stability, a resilient ring 80 is disposed betweenthe fitting portion 24 of the first inner pipe 20 and the trunk portion34 of the second inner pipe 30 such that the first passage 225 and thesecond passage 325 are tightly connected.

The above detailed description, which is supported by drawings, ismerely intended to provide an embodiment illustrative of the technicalcontent and features of the present invention. The appended claims shallcover simple modifications, replacements or component reduction made,without going against the spirit embodied in the present invention, bypersons skilled in the art after gaining insight into the technicalcontent and features of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A safety medical connector comprising: a firstinner pipe having a first protruding portion, a fitting portion, and atleast a first abutting portion, with the fitting portion connected tothe first protruding portion and the first abutting portion, at least afirst through hole disposed at a free end of the first protrudingportion, and a first passage disposed in the first protruding portionand being in communication with the first through hole; a second innerpipe having a second protruding portion, a trunk portion, and at least asecond abutting portion respectively, with the trunk portion connectedto the second protruding portion and the second abutting portion, atleast a second through hole disposed at a free end of the secondprotruding portion, a second passage disposed in the second protrudingportion and the trunk portion, the at least a second through hole beingin communication with the second passage, and a flange disposed at thefree end of the second abutting portion and protruding outward; whereinthe fitting portion and the trunk portion fit each other, the firstabutting portion and the second abutting portion alternate with eachother so as to interdigitate, the free end of the first protrudingportion and the free end of the second protruding portion point in twoopposite directions, and the first passage is in communication with thesecond passage; a housing having a peripheral wall and a first end walland a second end wall which close two ends of the peripheral wallrespectively, the peripheral wall, the first end wall, and the secondend wall to jointly define a first receiving space, wherein the firstend wall and the second end wall each have an opening whose rim extendsoutward to form a first circumferential wall and a secondcircumferential wall, the first circumferential wall defines a firstchannel, and the second circumferential wall defines a second channel; afirst resilient element having a head portion, a body portion, and afixing portion, the head portion extending laterally from the bodyportion and forming a closed end, wherein another side of the bodyportion extends to form an opening end, with a second receiving spacedefined in the body portion and being in communication with the openingend, and a positioning notch disposed on an inner wall surface of thebody portion, wherein the fixing portion is connected to the opening endand fixed to the housing; and a sealing element attached to the secondend wall and the first abutting portion abutting against the sealingelement, wherein the first protruding portion extends toward the firstcircumferential wall, and the first resilient element fits around thefirst protruding portion that the first protruding portion penetratesthe opening end and gets received in the second receiving space, thepositioning notch engaged with the flange, the head portion disposedinside the first circumferential wall to seal the first channel, and thesecond protruding portion extends toward the second circumferentialwall.
 2. The safety medical connector of claim 1, wherein the peripheralwall has an inner peripheral wall and an outer peripheral wall which areengaged with each other, the inner peripheral wall connected to thefirst end wall, the outer peripheral wall connected to the second endwall, and the fixing portion disposed between the inner peripheral walland the outer peripheral wall.
 3. The safety medical connector of claim1, wherein the first inner pipe has two opposing first abuttingportions, and the second inner pipe has two opposing second abuttingportions.
 4. The safety medical connector of claim 1, wherein the firstresilient element has a neck portion for connecting the head portion andthe body portion, and a pressing portion is disposed at a junction ofthe first end wall and the first circumferential wall to press againstthe neck portion.
 5. The safety medical connector of claim 1, wherein aresilient ring is disposed between the fitting portion of the firstinner pipe and the trunk portion of the second inner pipe.
 6. The safetymedical connector of claim 1, wherein the free end of the firstprotruding portion is tapered and has a first lateral surface, the firstthrough hole disposed on the first lateral surface.
 7. The safetymedical connector of claim 1, wherein the free end of the secondprotruding portion is tapered and has a second lateral surface which thesecond through hole is disposed on, and the sealing element has a recessfor receiving the second lateral surface.